The slow death of practical hands-on science in schools appears to be continuing, according to a survey conducted by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.
With the help of the National Foundation for Educational Research they surveyed 703 teachers - 580 from primary schools and 123 from secondary schools - about what stops teachers conducting practical lessons in the classroom.
83% of the teachers thought that science enquiry is "very important" in science learning, but there appear to be significant barriers facing teachers when they try to make it happen. 68% cited a lack of equipment or space as a barrier, while 50% said there was a lack of time in the curriculum. That appeared to be more of a problem for secondary school teachers, with 74% citing it as a barrier to practical work. Perhaps surprisingly, 44% of teachers cited a lack of confidence as a reason for not undertaking practical lessons.
A more familiar factor that is often cited for the decline in chemistry lessons featuring DIY explosions and noxious gases is the modern health and safety culture. This does seem to be a concern for teachers, with 28% saying it was a barrier. That figure is up from 21% in an ICM poll of teachers in October 2005.
Should schools be doing more to provide practical science?
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